Wireless communication systems typically include a plurality of base stations strategically located to provide wireless communication coverage over a selected area or region. Each base station typically serves a cell that includes a plurality of sectors.
Specially-designed data packets are required to achieve low-latency internet-type data communications. Systems that allow for data communications often include a scheduled uplink channel that is shared among various users. Different users will have different channel conditions depending on the location of the mobile station, a velocity of the mobile station and other known factors. Accordingly, different users will have different burst rates on the scheduled uplink.
Typical systems for processing data signals transmitted on an uplink communication channel and received at a base station include a rake receiver. As is known, a general rake receiver includes a technique that uses several baseband correlators to individually process several signal multipath components. The correlator outputs are combined to achieve improved communication, reliability and performance.
However, rake receivers have certain limitations. For example, rake receivers generate weighted coefficients to be correlated with a signal destined for a user equipment on the uplink or downlink communication channel. Conventional rake receivers determine such weights based on available channel estimates. However, these channel estimates may be delayed due to the timing relationship between a base station and a user equipment. Furthermore, the channel undergoes a Doppler effect, which causes further distortion of these estimates. Such limitations may contribute to degradation of the performance of the wireless system.